The study, published in the Medical Journal of Australia, surveyed 1,800 Australians about whether they thought smoking increased the risk of 23 different conditions, such as lung cancer, stroke, and diabetes.

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What we know about how to reduce risk

June 1st 2018

8 months ago

The results found eight in 10 participants knew lung, throat and mouth cancers, heart disease, and emphysema were linked to smoking, however only a small amount were aware it was associated with female infertility, erectile dysfunction, diabetes, and liver cancer.

“It was predictable and pleasing that smokers knew about the health effects that have been highlighted in the current sets of warnings and media campaigns,” said Dr Michelle Scollo from the Cancer Council Victoria, which ran the study.

However, Dr Scollo says the results raise the questions around whether current graphic cigarette warning labels, which have been in place since 2012, need to be refreshed.

"In 2014, the US Surgeon-General released a 50-year report — they released a whole updated statement of the diseases caused by smoking. Many more conditions were added to the list in 2014," she explained.

"These health warnings came into effect in 2011-12 and a lot more things have been established. Liver cancer, colon cancer…diabetes, erectile dysfunction."

The original graphic warnings were effective in reducing smoking, especially among white, middle-class people, thus Dr Scollo hopes the study’s results will lead to an extended campaign including new graphic warning labels, portraying more of smoking’s health risks.

"People need continuous reminders of these sort of things if they're going to remember them but I don't see why we need to be limited to just 14 warnings," she said.

"I think we need as many warnings as we need to adequately warn people about the risks they face."